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Segway tour company opens Manitowoc route

Tours go along the coastline near the lighthouse and past the U.S.S. Cobia. (Aug. 1, 2014)

Phillip Bock, HTR Media
12:33 p.m. CDT August 5, 2014

From left, Emily Mei and Liz Munkwitz, both from Sussex, Wis., tour past the S.S. Badger Carferry during an inaugural Segway tour along the Lakeshore in Manitowoc conducted by Segway the Fox Tours out of Green Bay.
(Photo:
Sue Pischke/HTR Media
)

MANITOWOC — A two-wheeled tour of Manitowoc's historic sites kicked off Thursday with an inaugural tour by Segway.

"Segways are a hoot!" said Deanna Munkwitz, who booked the Manitowoc Segway tour for her 54th birthday.

The tour was the first of its kind in Manitowoc, according to Al Wachtendonk, a tour guide for Segway the Fox Tours. The company operates under Glide N.E.W., which began Segway tours in Door County in 2005 and later expanded into Green Bay and, this summer, into Manitowoc.

"Hopefully the more tours we do down here, people will see us," Wachtendonk said. "People are always looking for something new to do."

From left, Emily Mei and Liz Munkwitz, both from Sussex, Wis., tour past the S.S. Badger, Lake Michigan Carferry, as they follow Segway tour guide Al Wachtendonk (not pictured) from Glide N.E.W. LLC., during the first ever city of Manitowoc Segway tour along the scenic Lake Michigan lakeshore. The Segway company is Wisconsin's longest running Segway personal transporter tour operator with many tour experiences to choose from throughout northeast Wisconsin. Sue Pischke/HTR Media. Photo taken on Thursday, July 31, 2014. (Photo: Sue Pischke/HTR Media)

From left, Liz Munkwitz and Emily Mei, both from Sussex, Wis., ride the Mariner's Trail along the Lake Michigan shoreline, as they follow Segway tour guide Al Wachtendonk from Glide N.E.W. LLC., during the first ever city of Manitowoc Segway tour. The Segway company is Wisconsin's longest running Segway personal transporter tour operator with many tour experiences to choose from throughout northeast Wisconsin. Sue Pischke/HTR Media. Photo taken on Thursday, July 31, 2014. (Photo: Sue Pischke/HTR Media)

Deanna Munkwitz of Sussex, Wis., tours past the Manitowoc Marina on her way to see the lighthouse as she follows Segway tour guide Al Wachtendonk (not pictured) from Glide N.E.W. LLC., during the first ever city of Manitowoc Segway tour along the scenic Lake Michigan lakeshore. The Segway company is Wisconsin's longest running Segway personal transporter tour operator with many tour experiences to choose from throughout northeast Wisconsin. Sue Pischke/HTR Media. Photo taken on Thursday, July 31, 2014. (Photo: Sue Pischke/HTR Media)

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The inaugural 1.5 hour route took riders past the Maritime Museum and USS Cobia submarine, by the marina, up past the dog park and lighthouse, down Mariners Trail and then looped downtown to the Budweiser sign and SS Badger ferry.

"I thought it was great. It was beautiful," Munkwitz said. "My favorite part was going down by the lighthouse and being near the lake and having all that around me. That was very cool. It was a very beautiful location."

Each year Munkwitz said she plans a "ladies day out" with her daughter, daughter-in-law and her son's girlfriend with the goal of surprising the three with fun Wisconsin activities.

"This was a surprise for us," Emily Mei said. "We found out we were coming to the (Maritime) Museum and going on a (Segway) tour."

Two of the four riders had been on Segway tours in the past, while the other two experienced the device for the first time.

"It was really fun. At first it was a little nerve-wracking, but after a while it got to be more comfortable," Mei said. "At first it was difficult because you had to trust that if you leaned too far forward or too far backward you were just going to move and not fall over."

The two-wheeled vehicles operate using gyroscopes that keep them balanced and move based on weight distribution of the rider. Leaning forward makes it go forward, while leaning back makes it go in reverse.

"A lot of people look at them and ask, 'How the heck can it stay up with two wheels?'" Wachtendonk said. "It's pretty cool technology. It works using gyroscopes. A lot of people think you have to do the work, but you just stand."

Wachtendonk, a retired teacher, has been guiding Segway tours for three years. He said he misses being in the classroom and enjoys the opportunity to teach groups of people about the history of the area.

"A lot of times, people just want to ride," he said. "We try to fill them with a little bit of information as we go. Some people want more information, some people don't care and just want to ride."

More information on The Manitowoc on the Coast Segway tour can be found online at glidenew.com or by calling (920) 573-2794.